


Shades of Love

by emsallthat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Dark Magic, Difficult Decisions, Drama, F/M, Infidelity, Plot Twists, Ron Weasley Bashing, Secrets, effect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emsallthat/pseuds/emsallthat
Summary: About non-obviousities caught up in the trap of life. About decisions and reasons. About the effects. Unexpected twist in the second part. Hermione / Bill / Ron. Rose in the background. Ron-bashing for a reason. Suggestive. As always./translation from Polish
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Bill Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Kudos: 12





	Shades of Love

**Shades of love**

* * *

**I**

* * *

Hermione sat by the fireplace, staring at the parchment in front of her. Once again for several months, she pulled it out of the drawer and scanned the raw content. She nodded and put it in a safe place.

_A few more months._

From the garden, Rose ran through the porch into living room. "Mom! Something stung me."

Hermione jumped up as quickly as she could and ran to her daughter. No one could understand how much she loved this fragile being. Rose was the whole world to her, the beginning and the end. Huge hazel eyes fringed with dark eyelashes, a straight little nose, freckles, clearly outlined lips. The clean features that framed the rusty red curls made Hermione's heart tighten each time. Rose was her miracle that gave life to life. To fight every single day.

"It's nothing serious, baby." She addressed her daughter with warm motherly love. “It's just a mosquito. There won't be a trace soon, I promise.” She smiled at Rose and hugged her tightly. She checked the clock. "Have you packed things for Grandma Molly? Uncle Bill is coming soon!"

Rose shook her head and announced in a firm voice that she was going to pack her backpack.

Hermione struggled to get up from her lap and watched this little Satan run up the stairs. She went into the kitchen and poured herself some water. She drank the gulp and put the cup back in the sink.

The last month had been very hard for her, but she knew she had to do it. He must.

She heard a brief sound and knew it had appeared in the Valley. Her heart immediately began to beat faster. She turned and saw huge hazel eyes, so familiar, so distant.

“How are you feeling?” The short, casual question had more than a thousand words.

"It's been better. The baby's kicking hard." Hermione looked down at the large bulge. She stroked her stomach with feeling.

"Can I?" Bill said the words almost in a whisper, and Hermione nodded. He placed his big hand in the center and she felt the baby move. Bill's eyes widened, he felt it too. It was a very intimate moment between them.

"Uncle!" A sweet voice from Rose filled the kitchen, scaring the two adults. "I packed everything for Grandma Molly, just like Mommy asked."

Bill shook himself instantly and with a huge smile scooped Rose into his arms. "Fantastic! Rose, how have you grown since we saw each other! You're so cute!"

Hermione stared at the stage and tried to write down every little detail. She wanted to keep her exactly as she was - pure, spontaneous, beautiful.

"Ready?" She barely regained her voice. - "Then let's go."

_

She was fed up with constant arguments that came back like a boomerang. Those many words spoken in anger, out of powerlessness. Those many words spoken calmly, with cynicism and coldness.

Ron looked at her with such icy eyes that if she could freeze she would become a block of ice.

She still had an image in her head, him hissing, "I wish we had another baby."

It hit her harder than the world's strongest cheek.

 _Who are you man?_ The words echoed again and again and again and again.

Today he overwhelmed the scales so strongly that if Hermione's words had any power, he would have burned to hell.

"Rose is terribly disheveled. It can't be my daughter, I wish I had a boy. Hermione, it's all your fault."

The tone of voice, the venom, all the hatred they felt for each other. It exploded in the face today.

_How did we come to be where we are?_

She felt a contraction and the sticky liquid ran down her legs. Her waters broke and she knew she needed to be hospitalized as soon as possible.

"Call Bill to look after Rose." She pulled out the last of her strength because Ron turned pale and looked like he was going to pass out. "Hand me the bag from the second floor, I have to go to the hospital."

This labor was much harder than the last one. She herself was in terrible shape, had eaten little the day before, so she had no strength. They had to give her reinforcement drugs.

She had been in the ward for eight hours, feeling weaker with each new one. Having so much time, she went through her entire life so far, made flashbacks and only confirmed herself in her decisions.

Another wave of pain flooded her mind.

I can't. She thought, and felt hot tears run down her cheek.

"Mrs. Weasley, you have to push."

She closed her eyes and felt a warm hand tighten around her palm. Half-conscious with pain, she looked up and saw large hazel eyes.

"Hermione, you can do it." He whispered and squeezed her hand. There was nothing else he could afford.

She pulled herself together and the next fifteen minutes was the worst experience of her life, until she heard a soft whimper.

The medic who accompanied her took the newborn and washed it in a bowl. He wrapped it in the blanket and handed her the bundle.

'' Congratulations, Mrs. Weasley. You have a beautiful little girl. ''

_We have._

Bill looked at her as they were alone and spoke as softly as he could.

'' We have a second daughter, Hermione. Thank you.''

* * *

**II**

* * *

Hermione was weak all the time, and after giving birth she couldn't recover as fast as she did the first time. She had a long fever and felt exhausted. Every simple act caused her a problem.

Rose was at Molly's all the time and she hadn't seen Ron since that day. He did not show up at her hospital or show up at home.

Bill helped her in everything, he picked her up, took care of her and their little daughter. She had no idea how she would have managed without him. Molly would undoubtedly have to be involved, which she preferred to avoid. She had too much in mind to tolerate her mother-in-law yet. Despite her best wishes.

On the third day after giving birth, Hermione got to her feet. Ron's demeanor was the last straw that broke the camel's back. She knew that if she didn't dare to act now, it would be another long time before she will be able to try. And she didn't have the strength for waiting. Not after all the incidents and humiliations. If he had no qualms, why should she have them?

_

Hermione took the parchment out of a drawer and, after making sure that it was okay, handed it to Bill.

The man took it and scanned it. Hermione saw him turn pale with each new sentence. The shock quickly turned to anger, which he barely concealed.

"Are you sure Hermione it's true?" She nodded, but it did not give her any pleasure. “You know what that means?” He looked at her and had never seen her so fierce.

“I know.” Her voice was firm. "He deserves everything what is going to happen. He has to be punished. Although he is sure no one knows about it. It was not supposed to come out, he took care of it very carefully. But he underestimated me."

"Okay, I'll give it to the Minister for Magic. Do you know where Ron is now?" Bill tucked the document away and looked at his love. He saw her eyes go hard and icy.

“She's at Lavender's, you know it. Ron has been cheating on me with her since we got back from our honeymoon.” Her voice was empty, everything she said sounded obvious. Like something she's already okay with.

Bil sighed and nodded. Ron and Lavender's relationship was an open secret, everyone in the family knew about it. And no one dared to raise this topic in public. Carefully swept under the rug over the years.

And that hurt Hermione the most about it all. But without it, she would never have found each other with Bill. If the situation had been different, they would never have decided on the relationship that unites them. And Bill was the best thing that happened to her in adulthood.

In fact, Hermione was in no way better than Ron. She had also cheated on her husband for years. Plus she did it with his brother.

Bill was Rose's father, she knew that because she had done her post-birth tests. Bill, not Ron. As for the paternity of the second child, Bill was without hesitation the only candidate. She had slept with Ron knowing she was pregnant, so it didn't matter. She just did it out of calculation. For appearances.

Bill knew the truth, but no one else would have guessed. Even Molly.

_

A few days later, Hermione showed up at the Burrow with her newborn baby girl. Molly couldn't wait to meet the youngest granddaughter.

“You already know what it will be called?” She asked, staring at the tiny being.

"Carlie." Hermione replied without thinking as she was looking at a different picture. In the living room, Rose was constructing a brick tower with Bill's help.

"Beautiful name, Hermione." Molly rocked little Carlie and watched her daughter-in-law closely. "Do you know where Ron is?"

The woman denied it, not making any special efforts. Molly did not pursue the topic either.

Hermione decided to stay in the Burrow for a few days to get some rest. Rose and Carlie were very well looked after here - apart from Molly, Ginny and James would show up sometimes, Angelina and Bill too. Bill behaved flawlessly, of course, but he helped in taking care of the baby and the older girl. It was a lovely picture, of the unreal kind.

The bomb exploded the evening after her arrival. Arthur Weasley appeared in the fireplace, followed by Harry Potter, both moved as ever.

"Harry, take the children." Arthur commanded his son-in-law. "Molly, Hermione," Arthur turned to the two women. "Sit down, I have bad news to report."

After a while, he said in a nervous tone:

"Ron was arrested by the Aurors."

Molly wailed, and Hermione sat unfazed. She should react, but she didn't have the strength. At Arthur's words, she felt so much relief as never before in her life.

She only glanced at Bill briefly, but his eyesight was unreadable. She never asked him how the meeting with the Minister of Magic had gone or what decisions had been made. She didn't care anymore.

"Ron is accused of treason and helping the Dark Lord," clarified Harry, who had entered the lounge after escorting the children. Molly wanted to say something, but Arthur silenced her:

"There is strong evidence for that," he said helplessly. "Indisputable. I'm afraid the Wizengamot will have no qualms, Darling."

"That's true." Added Harry, who was also gray in the face. "Hermione, are you okay?" He looked worriedly at her and she shook her head.

Bill jumped up and ran over to her. "Let's go out into the fresh air, it'll do you good."

Nobody objected because Hermione was not the topic of conversation.

They left, and Hermione burst into tears outside. Everything that she had hidden over the years found an outlet.

Bill hugged her tight and said in a whisper:

"It's all right, Love. It's going to be okay ..."

Hermione cuddled up to her lover, wanting to believe that it was really the end.

_

_

Ron signed the divorce papers while in custody. They didn't exchange a single letter with each other, neither of them thought there was such a need.

It wasn't until Hermione had received the official letter returning her freedom that she felt at peace.

She never regretted what she had done. It was confirmed by the way she looked at the children - Rose and Carlie. These two beings were the most important in her life. She would do anything for them.

"Hermione," she heard a warm female voice behind her back. She turned and smiled at Ginny. The red-haired woman glanced at the letter and at her friend's face:

“It's over, isn't it?” Ginny's intent glare puzzled Hermione a little. “Eventually you'll be able to stop pretending.” The words, thrown to the wind, hit the most tender spot.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ginny." Hermione tried to say something, but gave up. Ginny's glare was not hostile, deprecating.

"You know, Hermione." She sighed and took Hermione's hand. "I've known for a long time. I don't understand what you've been doing. I don't endorse what you did. I don't think it was morally good." She took a breath. "But I know what you've been through. I have no right to judge you. I have no right to tell you what to do, because I've never been in your situation." She stopped suddenly, realizing something. “Was it you that reported on him?” She snapped.

Hermione nodded.

"How long did you know?"

"I found out before Rose was born. But there was never a good time."

Ginny paused and squeezed her hand.

"Bill will be a great dad to your kids. In some time, when everything calms down and emotions subside, you will create a real family. The one you deserve."

Family.

Hermione knew she would do anything to ensure that girls have a wonderful life.

\- In a while, for sure. Some day for sure.


End file.
